Third Umpire

Monty back in the groove

2009-07-03T13:04:00.003+01:00

Monty Panesar’s difficulties this season have been well-documented. Short on confidence after being discarded by England, he has toiled away to little effect in the second division, picking up six championship wickets for Northamptonshire at a cost of 86.

He has had his self-belief further eroded by the success of the current incumbent in the national set-up. Graeme Swann is the mirror image of Panesar: self-assured, confident in the media glare and talented in all facets of the game. Swann has flourished with the ball and is one of the first names on the Test team sheet.

Panesar was included in the warm-up match against Warwickshire due to the supposed spin-friendly nature of the first Test wicket at Cardiff.

Far from being under pressure, Panesar’s international career has been given a lifeline at a time when it would otherwise have been interrupted for a long period. England rarely play two spinners at home; Panesar can now look forward to playing a match with nothing to lose.

His place as second spinner has been assured this week. Panesar’s three cheap tailenders wickets at Edgbaston hardly constitute a return to form, but combined with Adil Rashid’s wicketless return from 14 overs against Australia at Worcester it can be taken as the beginning of season spin bowling pecking order being maintained.

Graham Onions, Steve Harmison and Tim Bresnan were all in the wickets at New Road and it is far from certain that England will play two spinners at the Swalec stadium. Ryan Sidebottom has proved his fitness and the home side might decide to go with four seamers, especially if they decide the potential role of spin has been overplayed.

Much was made of Panesar’s struggles at Cardiff last month – he took two for 149 from 44 overs – but he was not the only spinner to miss out. The other four spinners on show took only six of the other 25 wickets to fall and it could be that England will be relying on conditions that won’t prevail if they choose two slow men.

If they do, Panesar will surely return to the limelight. He has had his confidence boosted and will feel vindicated in returning to his tried and trusted method of accuracy rather than variation. Now Nathan Hauritz is the only under-fire spinner who can’t buy a wicket.

For now, make sure you're keeping a close eye on the 2009 Ashes odds before making your Ashes bets. If you need to get in the betting mood, check out Betfair's new fan v fan site!

Ashes Composite XI

2009-07-02T23:27:00.005+01:00

The simplest way of assessing the merits of the two sides before the Ashes is to select a composite eleven, to play in English conditions. It remains to be seen how different it will be come August 24th.

1) Andrew Strauss
Five centuries in his past seven Tests speak of a man in the form of his life.

2) Philip Hughes
A first-class average in excess of 70 almost defies belief. His working over at the hands of Steve Harmison made for very interesting viewing; and it is true that plundering Division Two attacks only says so much. But two hundreds in a Test away to South Africa says rather more.

3) Ricky Ponting
Recent form is decidedly modest - Ponting averages just 36 in his last 11 Tests - but he remains the wicket England will prize above all others, and was phenomeal in 2006/07.

4) Kevin Pietersen
Has not really been at his best for England since losing the captaincy, but his flair and skill is such that he can make Ponting lose control of the game in the field. A third consecutive Ashes averaging more than 50 is expected, though his injury is a concern.

5) Simon Katich
The Australian selectors had decided he could not quite cut it at international level, but some Ramprakash-esque domestic form made them give him another chance, where England's selectors were too stubborn to with Mark. And how they have been vindicated: averaging 53 in the 15 Tests since his comeback, he is now Australia's most reliable batsman. He opens, of course, but could slot in in the middle-order in the side.

6) Matt Prior
Very little separates Prior and Haddin, but Prior's current Test average of 48 - even if it has benefited from feasting on poor West Indian bowling - and improving keeping shade it.

7) Andrew Flintoff
Arguably this place should go to Michael Clarke, but he has never convinced against the swinging ball. So with a certain nostalgia for 2005, Flintoff is in - but he has it all to prove this summer, especially with willow in hand.

8) Mitchell Johnson
Along with Dale Steyn, is simply the best fast bowler in world cricket. How Flintoff would crave his averages of 34 and 28 - which put Johnson into genuine all-rounder territory and, incidentally, are identical to Ian Botham's final career averages.

9) Graeme Swann
England's great find of the past few months, his ebullient batting and aggressive, varied off-spin could have a big part to play in this series. MR SK Warne's assertion than Nathan Hauritz (first-class average 47, four-fers three and five-fers precisely none) is a superior bowler is risible. Unless he is keeping his doosra well hidden from view.

10) Peter Siddle
It's pretty hard to ignore Stuart Broad but for all his rapid improvement he still avaerges 38 with the ball. Then there is Peter Siddle, an wholehearted Aussie seamer from the Merv Hughes school. He can look ordinary, but deceptively quick, he averages just 25 in the two series against South Africa. Underestimate him at your peril.

11) James Anderson
Perhaps the second best new-ball bowler in world cricket behind Steyn, Anderson's growing control nad increased mastery over swing with the new and old ball has been a joy to behold.

So it's pretty evenly matched. England have six players in the XI; Australia have five, though it could so easily have been the opposite had Haddin edged in (or had Flintoff been unavailable for selection, as he surely will at some point this series). And in Johnson they have probably the best Test cricketer in the world of the past twelve months.

What's striking is the relatively weak middle-orders of both sides, as Katich slotting in as an emergency number five illustrates. Michael Hussey has endured a miserable few months, while doubts over Paul Collingwood seem perennial. Michael Clarke had an encouraging Aussie winter but is still yet to truly fulfill his potential, while Marcus North's early-tour form has been terrible. So it may be that the batting strength of both sides lies in the top four, with weaknesses in the middle-order and a real possibility for same late-order tail-wagging from the likes of Haddin, Prior, Johnson, Broad, Swann and Lee.

So what does that tell us? The 2009 Ashes will be worth watching.

Michael Vaughan, England legend

2009-06-29T16:16:00.003+01:00

So there will be no fairytale Ashes comeback for Michael Vaughan. His retirement has looked increasingly likely this season, his poor batting form – 159 first class runs at 19.88 – combining with Ravi Bopara’s excellence in the England number three spot to suggest there was little chance of an international recall.

Vaughan’s decision to pack away his bat for good has still come as a surprise to some, most notably the England selectors. Their decision to hand the former skipper a central contract this season meant they hoped he would one day return, with his bygone glories in the Test arena always an allure.

It is this Michael Vaughan that England fans will want to remember, not the uncertain, drained figure who scored 40 runs from his last five Test innings. That final, disappointing series against South Africa last year was why we wanted him to return: to have the opportunity to show why he once was the best batsman in the world.

Vaughan’s golden years of 2002 and 2003, when he scored seven centuries in 20 innings, all against the three best teams in the world, would represent an excellent career in their own right. His excellent, record-breaking captaincy elevates Vaughan’s England career to one of the very best.

He led England to more Test victories than anyone else, recording 26 wins from 51 matches as skipper, losing just 11. Reclaiming the Ashes in 2005 was one of England’s great sporting moments and every England fan knows the size of Vaughan’s contribution. However, as with all great players, it is the manner of the achievements that are significant, not just the facts and figures themselves.

We remember the silky cover drive and effortless pull shot more than the 18 Test centuries, one more than Denis Compton recorded. His captaincy made England tougher and harder to beat than they ever had been. He commanded respect from his players, opponents and commentators and always exuded the calmness that characterised his batting.

England might win the Ashes this year, but if they don’t it will reinforce the sense that Vaughan’s historic triumph in 2005, the defining moment of a fine career, was even more special than it appeared at the time.

In the meantime, make sure you stay up to date with the Ashes odds before making an informed First Test bet and, if you want to get in the betting mood, check out Betfair's fanvfan site.

Wagging tail will characterise the summer

2009-06-25T14:08:00.004+01:00

Duncan Fletcher is not shy of putting the journalistic boot into England, but it is safe to assume that he will endorse one aspect of England’s Ashes line-up this summer: their long batting line-up.

With Andrew Flintoff at number seven and perhaps Adil Rashid at 10 for the first Test (bear this possibility in mind for First Test betting), not to mention Jimmy ‘no duck’ Anderson at 11, the home side has plenty of batting depth.

The same is true of Australia. Mitchell Johnson will one day be considered a genuine allrounder, whilst plenty is known of Brett Lee’s lower order skill with the bat. Lee emphasised the point in scoring an unbeaten 47 against Sussex in the Aussies’ opening tour match after the tourists had slipped to 228-6.

Nathan Hauritz played freely at number nine, racing to 65 not out at the close on day one, doing his chances of inclusion for the series opener no harm at all. Australia’s lower order recovery, albeit against a slightly weakened county attack, has set the tone for the Ashes.

The tension and drama of 2005 is unlikely to be matched, but two long batting line-ups will add to the cat-and-mouse nature of the series. Neither side will rip through the other’s tail and there could well be some more tense run chases and final day finishes.

Fletcher was ultimately vindicated in his demand for multi-dimensional cricketers. England fans shudder at the memory of a tail in August 1999 that comprised Andrew Caddick, Alan Mullally, Phil Tufnell and Ed Giddins.

Rashid and Graeme Swann’s elevation above Panesar in the spin-bowling pecking order is purely due to their better bowling form. Their superior batting ability is a bonus, one which could be decisive in the forthcoming series.

In the meantime, keep up to date with the Ashes odds and, if you need to get in the betting mood, check out Betfair's fanvfan site.

Musings on the first Ashes squads

2009-06-22T13:44:00.004+01:00

The selection of a 16-man Ashes training squad, alongside an England Lions XI to face Australia, provides many portents for the summer ahead. The complete omission of Michael Vaughan is the clearest indication yet his Test career is at an end.

However, would it not have been worth selecting him for the Lions, just as England have done with Steve Harmison? He has been woefully out of form, certainly, but if Strauss or Cook were to get injured, who would England call upon as an emergency opener? Would Stephen Moore or Joe Denly (both selected for the Lions) really have a chance of making their Test debuts in the Ashes?

Overall, the squads are hard to overly quibble with. Leaving Harmison out the 16-man squad but allowing him a crack at Australia for the Lions is surely a good move. It is intriguing that Ian Bell has been selected as captain for the Lions - but it could be the making of him.

There is, however, a whiff of Worcestershire bias about the Lions side which will take on the Aussies at Worcester. Vikram Solanki has no chance of playing for England again. He should not have been preferred to Vaughan or especially Owais Shah. Shah's face seemingly does not fit. There are doubts over his Test match temperament, of course, but playing him for the Lions would be a low-risk way of assessing his qualities. He is considerably more likely to play for England again that Solanki, so Solanki's selection just seems like a waste of a spot. Steven Davies's selection ahead of Messrs Foster and Ambrose is slightly surprising, but he is averaging 43 in Division One this season and actually played for England as recently as March.

The spin issue remains as confusing as ever. Before the squads were announced, many felt England would allow Panesar, who the Aussies have seen before, to play for the Lions, while keeping new leg-spinner Rashid 'hidden' for England against Warwickshire. Instead, they have gone down the opposite path. Panesar is hopelessly out of form and should not play in the first Test. If Rashid does well for the Lions, perhaps he will get his first Test cap in the first game of the 2009 Ashes.

What's happened to the magic of Monty?

2009-06-19T21:33:00.006+01:00

Monty Panesar has earned cult-status in England - not just for his slapstick batting and fielding, but also because some shrewd judges considered him the finest spinner England have produced since the halycon days of Derek Underwood. But something has gone seriously awry. England cannot select him for the Ashes this summer.

After being dropped in the West Indies, and showing some improved variation when he was selected as second spinner for the final Test on tour, it was hoped Panesar would gain confidence getting wickets for Northants and would have fully regained his confidence by the time he was selected for Cardiff, a wicket that notoriously takes spin. In fact, the opposite has happened - to the extent to which it is probably only his England career (he still possesses a central contract) - that is forcing Northants to select him. The statistics are atrocious, and say it all. From 193 overs in the championship, he has taken six wickets for 520 runs at a cost of 86 apiece. With a white ball in his hand, he has taken two wickets for a total cost of 287.

Where has it all gone wrong? The enderaing, childish enthusiasm seems to have given way to uncertainty and a lack of confidence. Panesar does not seem to feel he belongs. Too often he gives the impression of a little boy lost, unable to think for himself, on his feet. How often has anesar actively suggested a fielding change, rather than passively be governed by his captain? Unintentionally, the man who has displaced him as England's number one spinner provided the most damning assessment, saying "I sometimes wonder how he’s got to this stage without wandering in front of a train or a bus". At 27, Panesar is perhaps suffering from a lack of perspective; in this regard, Grame Swann can almost be considered his anthithesis. How easy it is to say from the outside, of course, but a man whose life has been so governed by cricket may find it particularly hard to react when form falls apart.

England's thinktank, impressed by some admirable performances in the World Twenty20, must recognise Adil Rashid is a better choice as second spinner, if England indeed employ two for the first Test. Rashid would give England an extraordinarily long-tail, with Swann's ebullient hitting perhaps forced down as low as number ten.

England's World Twenty20 ratings

2009-06-16T14:59:00.002+01:00

Kevin Pietersen 8
England’s over-reliance on their star player was worse than anyone had feared. He was badly missed against the Dutch and made up for lost time with key contributions against Pakistan and India. The tame dismissal against West Indies perhaps cost his team the game, the ultimate proof that England depend too much on him. His strike rate of 152.47 was impressive and you should bet on Kevin Pietersen to make an impact when the Ashes cricket action starts.

Ravi Bopara 7.5
He is yet to solve his problem of getting out when well-set in coloured clothing, but is the only batsman apart from Pietersen who can score naturally quickly without taking risks.

Stuart Broad 7
He bounced back well from his Netherlands run out disaster and enhanced his reputation for quick-learning and aggression, with his round-the-wicket angle of attack an interesting development.

Graeme Swann 7
Mystifyingly left out against Netherlands, he was relatively economical and threatening thereafter. He used all his guile to cope well with any opposition batting onslaughts.

James Foster 6.5
The selectors’ inclusion of the country’s premier gloveman was fully justified, as his lightning-quick stumping of Yuvraj Singh proved crucial in the India showdown. He struggled to find the boundary with the bat, but was hardly alone in that failing.

Dimitri Mascarenhas 6.5
It must be hoped that this tournament has reduced expectations fof the Hampshire skipper. He is a canny medium pacer who bats a bit, not a power hitter who can bat in the top order – his economy rate of 6.42, combined with the fact he hit three boundaries from his 42 balls faced, prove as much.

Adil Rashid 6
An impressive debut series by England’s great leg spin hope. He bowled well under pressure and did his chances of involvement on other formats no harm at all.

Ryan Sidebottom 6
An encouraging return for Sidebottom, who still has some bite to go with his bark. He roughed up the Indians but was otherwise expensive.

Owais Shah 5
106 runs from 98 balls spread across five innings is not a good enough return for a player in the top order. He struggled to rotate the strike but proved he could clear the ropes, so needs to learn that Twenty20 is more than just block and slog.

Luke Wright 5.5
England’s pinch hitter was exposed after starting well against the Dutch and needs to increase his scoring areas. His bowling showed only glimpses of promise.

James Anderson 5.5
England’s in-form paceman was generally disappointing, as he lacked accuracy and a new ball threat.

Paul Collingwood 5
The skipper was dreadfully out of touch with the bat – he didn’t time a ball all week. He must also take some blame for the complacency against the Dutch and strange team selection, although credit is also due for rallying the team against Pakistan and India.

Rob Key, Eoin Morgan and Graham Napier were barely called upon, bringing their selection into question. The total exclusion of Napier by a team which struggled for boundaries was particularly strange.

England are no more than dark horses

2009-06-04T14:06:00.000+01:00

England's hopes of succeeding in the ICC World Twenty20 are on the up.

Only a few weeks ago England’s hopes of succeeding in the ICC World Twenty20 appeared slim. They had no coach, captain or consistent form. A hapless tournament in 2007 and poor overall Twenty20 form suggested the hosts would not feature in the latter stages.

Now, a few wins and managerial appointments later, England are suddenly in buoyant mood. They are in the position that often characterises national teams from this country going into a major tournament, that of unrealistic expectation.

The carnival atmosphere that surrounded England’s warm-up win over West Indies at Lord’s was part Ashes summer fever, part realisation that the home side played well enough to suggest they can go all the way.

It was a crushing win over the Windies, who continue to lurch form one mediocre defeat to another. England presented the key Twenty20 credentials that have eluded them for so long: a fast-scoring opening partnership, wicket-taking bowlers with good variation and efficient fielding that characterises a professional approach.

However, whilst it is true that England have more players in good form than they did in South Africa two years ago, when they won only once, against Zimbabwe, there should still be caution.

A product of that poor performance in 2007 is a difficult draw this time around. The two Super Eight groups of four are arranged according to seeding, not first round performance.

England are second tier seeds and as such will face India, Australia and South Africa (also seeded outside the top four) in phase two, as long as there are no major upsets. Points are not carried through from round one, so the clash with Pakistan is irrelevant, as long as both teams beat Netherlands.

Expecting England to win two of their three games against the tournament favourites is a tough ask, although it safe to say that the prospect is far more likely than it recently was.

Specialists might have to wait for their chance

2009-05-28T14:12:00.003+01:00

England’s squad for the ICC World Twenty20 contains a mixture of central contract regulars and Twenty20 specialists. The selectors have rewarded consistent domestic performers in the shortest format of the game, although the first choice line-up could well end up being similar to the team that turns out for 50 over matches.

There will be a change behind the stumps, as James Foster comes in for Matt Prior. Some might question this move, as Prior is in the form of his life with the bat, but the selectors are right to recognise that superior keeping is as important in this format as others.

The Essex man’s busy batting is perhaps under-rated and he might slot in at number six. Rob Key and Graham Napier are the other men who have forced their way into the squad on the back of their Twenty20 cup exploits.

Both were initially pencilled in for places in the team, but their current form will force a rethink. Key has scored just 66 runs in four first class innings for Kent and has fared even worse in coloured clothing, hitting a top score of 27 from eight Friends Provident knocks. He scored a second ball duck in his only completed Twenty20 cup innings.

Napier has also had a slow start, failing to pass 50 in his six limited overs knocks, although his away swing bowling seems to be in better order. His boundary hitting is the reason for his inclusion and if that is lacking, it is hard to see a starting place for the burly allrounder.

Key’s place at the top of the order will go to Eoin Morgan, who showed all the invention and urgency needed for the role in smashing a Friends Provident 161 from 136 balls for Middlesex against Kent. He is not usually an opener in any format, but Key is simply not in the sort of form to give England the start they require.

With regards to Twenty20 betting, the rest of the team is easier to predict, with Adil Rashid, Luke Wright and Ryan Sidebottom fighting it out for one place if Napier does miss out. Spin is crucial in Twenty20 cricket and this could be the time for Rashid to make his full international debut.

Be sure to bear all this in mind when you look to place your all-important Twenty20 bet.

Possible team: Bopara, Morgan, Pietersen, Shah, Collingwood, Foster, Mascarenhas, Rashid, Broad, Swann, Anderson

England's Ashes ladder (3)

2009-05-25T21:27:00.002+01:00

The third installment of the Ashes ladder - and after the demolition of the West Indies England are imbued with a new-found confidence. So who's up and who's down from after the West Indies tour?

1) Andrew Strauss (-)
Rapidly making this ‘his side’, Strauss will have a point to prove after being overlooked for the captaincy and his subsequent struggles in 2006-07.

2) Alastair Cook (-)
Has finally ended his century drought and will be given the opportunity to improve on his poor previous series against the Aussies.

3) Kevin Pietersen (-)
There are justifiable concerns over his recent form and the state of his mind – witness him describing the thrashings his Bangalore side suffered as “fantastic” – but there should be nothing like an Ashes campaign to get him back to his best if he recovers from injury on time.

4) James Anderson (-)
Amazingly, he was left out of the side as recently as the first Test in the West Indies. But he is now England’s premier quick bowler, bowling with skill with new and old ball alike. His ability to move the ball both ways has some hoping he can emulate Simon Jones in 2005 in exposing Australian frailties against swing.

5) Stuart Broad (-)
Andrew Strauss says he now views Broad as an allrounder, and, even though he has too seldom run through Test sides to date, he can expect to open the bowling alongside Anderson. His working-over of Sarwan at Chester-le-Street spoke of a bowler coming of age at Test level.

6) Graeme Swann (+3)
Swann has been England’s great success story of the past six months, in particular against left-handers – crucial given that Australia may have as many as five in their top eight. Swann’s control has impressed, but he is clearly a more attacking option than Panesar too. Add in the ebullient batting and excellent slip-catching and England may just have uncovered quite a package.

7) Matt Prior (+1)
Doubts over his keeping linger – will they ever go? – but England’s desire to play five bowlers mean Prior’s position is assured. There is simply no other keeper who could come close to convincing at No.6, even if he currently averages less than 30 against non-West Indian opposition.

8 ) Andrew Flintoff (-1)
Since his return last summer, he has averaged just 24 with the bat, surely precluding him from batting at six. With the ball he has been parsimonious and wholehearted, though he has only claimed three wickets a Test. But England will want him batting at seven to allow them a five-man attack.

9) Ravi Bopara (+5)
Three centuries in three innings have ended the debate surrounding England’s No.3 – for now. Test runs, save against Bangladesh, do not come any easier than against the West Indies at home in May, but Bopara has seized his chance admirably. Expect Mitchell Johnson to test out the theory that he is vulnerable to the short ball.

10) Paul Collingwood (-4)
Since being “an absolute goner” against South Africa last summer, Collingwood has been in magnificent form, scoring four hundreds and a 96.

11) Monty Panesar (+1)
The one area in which England can confidently say they have the edge over Australia is in the spin department. The two Andys have spoken of liking the balance two spinners provided the attack in Trinidad, and there seems every chance England will employ two in Cardiff and the two London venues. Panesar has not improved his game sufficiently since his extraordinary Ashes debut, and his struggles for Northants are deeply worrying. But his home record – 80 wickets at 27 – is excellent.

12) Graeme Onions (N/E)
Responded to being left out of the Durham side last season by taking five for 38 on Test debut. With genuine pace and the ability to move the ball off the seam, Onions has some exciting attributes – but a series economy rate of 4.40 suggests he has issues with control.

13) Ryan Sidebottom (+2)
His call-up to the squad for the second Test, along with his inclusion in both England’s limited-overs squads, shows he remains in the selectors’ thoughts. His case could be aided by a feeling that Phillip Hughes may just have a weakness to left-armers bowling over the wicket.

14) Ian Bell (+7)
Seemingly now the first reserve after an impressive start to the domestic season, Bell would certainly have a point to prove if given a chance. If Flintoff were to get injured once more, England may use Bell at six, rather than risk batting Broad at seven.

15) Tim Bresnan (N/E)
His selection for the first two Tests and in the ODI squad shows he is highly regarded. However, would his bowling really threaten Australia in mid-summer?

16) Steve Harmison (-6)
After his hokey-cokey winter and an inauspicious start to the summer, few would be surprised if Harmison never played for England again. But if he can find fitness and form for Durham, there will be a temptation to give him one last chance.

17) Michael Vaughan (-6)
If only he batted as well as he talked. But, for all the doubts, is probably England’s third-choice opener.

18) Adil Rashid (-2)
Took wickets and scored 72 for the Lions against the West Indies. It does not bode well for him that England preferred Gareth Batty for the ODIs in the Caribbean, but, if Panesar continues to struggle, there will be a case for giving Rashid and his improving leg-spin a Test this summer.

19) Tim Ambrose (-2)
Very impressive in his one winter Test as a stand-in for Prior, Ambrose, barring a brilliant performance from James Foster in the World Twenty20, appears established as England’s No.2 keeper. But, as we learned last summer, he is not a Test match No.6.

20) Owais Shah (-7)
Intensity, cramp and a penchant for suicidal runs saw Shah endure a miserable three Tests in the West Indies. It looks unlikely he will play a Test again.

21) Sajid Mahmood (-2)
Has not played a Test since disappearing around Australia in 2006-07, but his pace and ability to reverse swing mean he has not disappeared completely off the radar.

22) Eoin Morgan (N/E)
His raw, uninhibited talent has been likened by many to that of his county college Phillip Hughes. If Morgan impresses for England in the limited-overs games prior to the Ashes, he may have a chance of featuring.

23) Rob Key (-1)
The England Lions skipper will view the World Twenty20 as a chance to further his ambitions for a Test recall, though he has not scored the volume of runs to merit one.

24) Matthew Hoggard (+1)
So many feel he was jettisoned unfairly (even if he averaged 40 from his last 13 Tests) and he will be dreaming of a Test on his home ground. But the selectors seem to feel he has lost his “nip” for good.

25) Mark Ramprakash (N/E)
The romantics’ choice. Averages 42 against Australia and still the most prized wicket in county cricket even in his 40th year.

England player ratings vs. West indies

2009-05-18T14:59:00.004+01:00

Ravi Bopara 9
He will bat at number three at Cardiff for the Ashes curtain-raiser and will not be short on confidence after taking advantage of some friendly bowling, flat pitches and poor fielding.

James Anderson 8.5
If swing bowlers can make the ball talk, Anderson had it chatting away loudly on the fifth day at Durham. A master in early-season conditions, he needs to show that he really is leader of the attack. He is a key man for Ashes test cricket.

Graeme Swann 8.5
Swann will miss having Devon Smith to bowl to, but he was much more than one player’s nemesis. Delivered on his batting and fielding reputations and the fact England are considering a spin-orientated plan of attack says everything about his progress. Bet on Graeme Swann to do serious damage during the Ashes.

Graham Onions 8
The performance on his home ground was in a way just as laudable as his efforts at Lord’s. Aggressive, slippery and able to hit the seam, Onions has plenty in his favour, although he might leak runs against the Aussies. Deservedly near the top of the bowling pecking order.

Alastair Cook 8
His lack of century-monkey is firmly off his back and he showed he can make big tons by recording his highest Test score at Durham. Technique will be examined more closely by Australia, but Cook has the mental attributes to cope.

Stuart Broad 7.5
Broad is becoming Strauss’ partnership breaker and is the sort of player born to do Ashes battle. Feisty and combative, this summer will bring the best out of him, which now includes genuine swing and seam bowling and ever-improving batting.

Matt Prior 7
His keeping blemishes and finger injury at Chester-le-Street took the shine off another impressive series for Prior. He is in great batting nick and deserves to bat at number six on merit at Cardiff.

Paul Collingwood 6.5
He scored a routine unbeaten half century on home territory but was befuddled by Fidel Edwards at Lord’s.

Andrew Strauss 6
His players and opponents made captaincy easy, so his Durham declaration was not questioned. Strauss instilled an aggression and urgency into England which will be crucial against Australia. He missed out with the bat but his form is in no way a worry.

Kevin Pietersen 6
Pietersen was back to his ‘fluent but silly dismissal’ best at Durham after his Lord’s golden duck and he is another who does not need to answer questions about his form for the Ashes.

Tim Bresnan 6
Bresnan must have feared a ‘thanks for coming’ award after seven fruitless Test days, but he got in on the act with three wickets on the final day of the series. He has perhaps done enough to be Andrew Flintoff’s number seven understudy, but that is about all.

Championship Review - Week 4

2009-05-13T09:35:00.002+01:00

The last round of matches for a while as One Day cricket takes over. In Division 1, positive results take Notts and Lancs to the top of the table, while in Division 2, the most thrilling game was the only one that was drawn.

Division 1
Somerset’s batting has begun to look a little flaky and this was shown Nottinghamshire bowled them out for just 138 at Trent Bridge. Charl Willoughby undid some of the damage in reply with 5 wickets as Notts reached 261 for a significant lead. Second time round, Somerset did much better, led by 98 from Marcus Trescothick, they made 383 to set Notts 261 to win, which they did thatnks largely to an unbeaten 5th wicket stand of 124 between Adam Voges and Ali Brown. Notts go top at this early stage.

The return of Peter Moores to county cricket has been a successful one and Lancashire bowled out Worcestershire for just 167, with Glen Chapple taking 6 wickets and Saj Mahmood 4. Chapple then hit 89 as Lancs recovered from 181 for 7 to 347 all out. In the second innings, it was Mahmood’s turn to take a 6-fer as Worcester managed 301, Moeen Ali maintaining his decent start to the season with 80. This left Lancs needing 122 to win, which they reached for the loss of 4 wickets. They are challenging at the top while Worcester already look like they are struggling to adapt to Division 1.

Durham were indebted to a ton from Dale Benkenstein and an unbeaten 94 from Liam Plunkett as they made 380 against Sussex at Hove. The home side got close to parity, with Andrew Hodd making a ton, Plunkett and Mitch Claydon taking four wickets apiece. Mike diVenuto and Gordon Muchall then both hit tons as Durham declared on 299 for 4. However, despite further success with the ball for Plunkett, they weren’t able to force a result and the game was drawn.

Yorkshire have been having batting trouble in one day cricket. However, this was soon forgotten as they racked up 600 for 8 against Warwickshire with Joe Sayers (173) and Antony McGrath (a career best 211) putting on 346 for the 3rd wicket, a new Yorkshire record (surpassing the greats Herbert Sutcliffe and Maurice Leyland). However, there was also a career best 120 for Jeetan Patel as he and Jonathan Trott (161) put on 233 for the 9th wicket to save the follow on and end the game as a contest. There was just time for Yorkshire to declare on 162 for 3 and hope for a Warwickshire wobble. This wasn’t to be as they reached 60 for 1 comfortably and the game was drawn.

Division 2
Surrey welcomed back Mark Ramprakash and he was straight back into the runs with a ton as Surrey managed their first batting points of the season with 388 against Middlesex. Philip Hughes is also in a fine vein of form (rather now than later in the season) and hit 195 as Middlesex took a healthy first innings lead with 445. Second time round Shaun Udal took six wickets as Surrey managed just 242, leaving Middlesex needing 186 to win in 25 overs. It was always tight and with 10 needed off the last over, Udal hit a 6 to put Middlesex in the driving seat. However, he was out the next ball and with three needed off the last ball, Alan Richardson was run out going for the second, leaving Middlesex on 184 for 9, and the game drawn.

Gloucestershire have benefitted from the return of coach John Bracewell and Zimbabwean Anthony Ireland took 6 wickets as they bowled Leicestershire out for just 133. Alex Gidman made more than that on his own, scoring 159 of Gloucester’s 393 in reply. Leicester battled back in their second innings making 331, Jon Lewis taking four wickets. However, this left Gloucester needing only 72 to win, which they managed without losing a wicket and they are top of the table.

Preseason favourite, Kent, were struggling at 131 for 6, until James Tredwell and Wayne Parnell put on 151 for the 7th wicket to get to 282, as the final four wickets fell without a run being added. Glamorgan made 307 in reply, skipper Jamie Dalrymple top scoring as he continued his impressive start to the season. Martin van Jaarsveld (182) and Geraint Jones (133) then put together a stand of 309 as Kent declared on 409 for 4. Tredwell then took over with the ball, taking 8 wickets as Glamorgan collapsed to 180 all out, Kent winning by 204 runs.

Finally, Essex scored just 221 against Northamptonshire as Andrew Hall took five wickets. Northants built up a substantial lead, scoring 354, Riki Wessels top scoring with 84. Steve Crook then took five wickets as Essex made 304 second time round, James Foster making 84. Northants reached their target of 176 for the loss of just two wickets and they keep up the pressure towards the top of the table at this early stage.

England Player Watch
Michael Vaughan on current form should be more worried about his Yorkshire place than getting back into the England team. Likewise on a placid Edgbaston wicket, Ian Bell was overshone by his colleagues, notably Jonathan Trott, who has dropped out of International reckoning following a couple of limited over appearances. James Foster made 84 for Essex

Both Saj Mahmood and Liam Plunkett were in the wickets taking ten and eight respectively, with Plunkett also reaffirming his potential with the bat. Steve Harmison, like Vaughan, continues to struggle with his form. Ryan Sidebottom picked up four wickets as he recovers from injury. Adil Rashid picked up a couple of wickets, while also making a half century with the bat. Chris Woakes picked up the walking wicket of Michael Vaughan, but like all of the other bowlers, struggled to make an impact on a flat Edgbaston pitch. Monty Panesar also had little success, taking just one wicket in 31 overs, although he went for little more than one run an over.

Player of the Week
The Roses captains both make a good case for inclusion, with Antony McGrath getting a double hundred and Glen Chapple making significant contributions with bat and ball. However, it is another all round performance that gets this week’s award. For a half century that made Kent competitive and then eight wickets that won then the match, the Player of the week is James Tredwell.

England should consider other Yorkshire batting options

2009-05-11T15:54:00.003+01:00

There is a former England batsman at Yorkshire who is pushing hard for a Test recall. An astute captain, he is capable of bowling some useful overs and is still thought to have the same batting capabilities that made him an instant hit for England, despite being well into his 30s. This man is not Michael Vaughan, but Anthony McGrath.

Discarded by England after four decent Tests and 14 disappointing one-day internationals, McGrath has rarely been touted for a recall, despite being one of the most consistent batsmen in county cricket.

McGrath exhibited all his best attributes in recording his highest first class score this week (211 against Warwickshire in a match he also scored an unbeaten half century in). Excellent technique, concentration and an ability to dominate were all present in that knock, although his case for a return to the England set-up is not based on just good current form.

The Yorkshire skipper would only be a short-term solution, a scenario which would bring its own pressures. McGrath is vastly experienced and could cope with the demands of a temporary return to the top level. He could be used as England’s number six if the selectors go down that defensive route this summer, as his bowling (111 first class wickets at 34.45) is more than just handy.

Good county form is once again being rewarded by the selectors and McGrath should be near the front of the queue if changes are made. However, a return to international coloured clothing might be more likely. McGrath was the second highest Twenty20 cup runscorer last season, despite Yorkshire’s controversial early exit, and with the selectors going back to the drawing board in this format, an unexpected fresh chance might materialise if he produces another good campaign.

Geoff Miller and co. are keeping a close eye on events at Headingley, but it seems a safe cricket bet that they might soon shift their focus from Vaughan to McGrath if they both maintain current form.

West Indies the biggest Lord's shower

2009-05-08T10:11:00.003+01:00

As well as some of England’s players have performed in the first two days of the Lord’s Test, the West Indies have been shambolic. They might yet escape with a draw if rain and Shivnarine Chanderpaul do something dramatic, but they should be beaten heavily, which is all they deserve on the basis of their early efforts.

Actually, stating their efforts is being generous. There has been a general lack of application in all disciplines, characterised by a carefree attitude – hands permanently stuffed in pockets, a total absence of energy in the field. They have presented the look of a beaten team from the outset.

Some might say that the team was often equally laidback in the recent series in the Caribbean, and whilst it is true that skipper Chris Gayle, through his own lackadaisical example, is happy to preside over a relaxed band of players, a May tour of England demands a different approach.

The West Indies are not the first touring party to feel the early-season chill in these shores (although this is the earliest ever start of a Test in England) and being exposed by some good seam and swing bowling in helpful conditions is no disgrace. However, the visitors should have learned what is required after being hammered by England’s Lions hopefuls at Derby, but no change in approach can be detected.

There has been too little foot movement and too many angled bats, a combination that spells disaster on the Lord’s slope. The shocking display of catching on the first evening further typified their poor focus, whilst the bowlers hardly bent their backs.

Put simply, the West Indies have not seemed bothered, which is strange considering the efforts they went to in securing their 1-0 series win over England on home soil. The captain’s last-minute arrival and ongoing political wranglings can be put forward as excuses, but the players themselves must take responsibility.

Maybe a match-saving epic from Chanderpaul or a weekend of rain will remind them as they head up to Durham that the Wisden trophy will soon slip from their possession after only a few weeks unless they dramatically improve...but don't be too quick to use your next cricket bet backing such a scenario.

Championship Review - Week 3

2009-05-06T14:40:00.002+01:00

Not many results this week as the weather gets involved, despite bizarre happenings at Taunton. The tables are still sorting themselves out and Division 2 has a very strange look to it.

Division 1
The weather and the fact that Headingley is turning into a surface as reliable as Taunton meant that a positive result was never an option between Yorkshire and Worcestershire. Batting first in dank conditions, Yorkshire declared in 460 for 6, with Jacques Rudolph getting 198 and Antony McGrath 120 in a stand of 247. At 39 for 2, Yorkshire had thoughts of enforcing a follow on. However, a stand of 317 between Vikram Solanki (206 not out) and Moeen Ali (153) meant that Worcester won the battle of the bonus points as they finished on 405 for 3.

Taunton looked like it was playing to type as Durham racked up 543, with Dale Benkenstein scoring 181 against Somerset. What followed, though, was not expected as Graham Onions celebrated his England call up by taking 6 for 31 as Somerset made just 69. Normal service was resumed in their second innings which closed with them on 485 for 5, centuries for Marcus Trescothick, Craig Kieswetter and Justin Langer.

At Old Trafford, Lancashire batted first, but were bowled out for just 189, Andre Adams taking four wickets. In reply, Nottinghamshire declared on 367 for 9, with Adam Voges making 95. Ashwell Prince led Lancs to safety, making an unbeaten 135 in their 230 for 3 in another weather affected encounter.

Finally in Division 1 to the Rose Bowl, where Sean Ervine made 109 out of Hampshire’s 350 for 8 declared. Matt Prior replied with 140 as Sussex managed 336 all out and with the weather intervening, there was only time for Hants to reach 127 for 2 by the end of play.

Division 2
Northamptonshire hosted Gloucestershire and the visitors made 294, thanks to a late order unbeaten 60 from Ian Saxelby, David Wigley taking 6 wickets. Northants responded with just 161, Steve Kirby and Vikram Banerjee taking four wickets a piece. Gloucester made 237 second time round, setting Northants 370 to win, with Gloucester being two bowlers down through injury. Despite the injuries, Northants were bowled out for 326 to give Gloucester the win which puts them second in the table.

Setting the pace are Derbyshire, who were saved by the weather as they visited Glamorgan. The home side declared on 403 for 6, with Mike Powell and Jamie Dalrymple getting tons. Derby were then bowled out for 210 and were struggling on 34 for 3 following on when the game drew to a close, with two days lost to the weather.

The title favourites met at Chelmsford, where Essex batted first and made 370, with Matt Walker making 98 and James Foster 99. In reply, Kent made just 205 to leave Essex well on top. Following on, Kent did much better and with Darren Stevens and Martin van Jaarsveld making centuries, they declared on 512 for 9, setting Essex a target of 348 to win. This time it was Essex’s turn to collapse, Robbie Joseph taking 6 wickets as they made just 155 to leave Kent as comfortable winners.

Andrew Strauss warmed up for the test series with a ton for Middlesex against Leicestershire. He was joined by Philip Hughes and Eoin Morgan in scoring centuries as Middlesex made 493 for 7. Leicester struggled to 258 in reply. However, as is often the case, the follow on was much more successful, with James Taylor getting a ton as they made 400 for 7 as the game petered out into a draw.

England Player Watch
Michael Vaughan’s week went from bad to worse as he made just 5 in Yorkshire’s 460 for 6. Ali Cook made a run a ball 41 in Essex’s first innings, but collapsed with the rest of the team in the second innings. Andrew Strauss looks in fine form with a run a ball 150, while ODI new boy Eoin Morgan also hit a ton.

Following the plethora of centuries from other wicket keepers last week, Matt Prior responded with one of his own this week and one suspects he will need to be injured not to be England’s test keeper for the summer. James Foster’s 99 keeps him to the top of those poised to challenge for Prior’s place if an injury does occur though.

Contrasting fortunes for the England new-boys Tim Bresnan went wicketless for Yorkshire, while his fellow England debutant, Graham Onions took a 6-fer, outperforming Steve Harmison yet again. Ryan Sidebottom started the rot for Notts against Lancs as he took two early wickets with the new ball. Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar bowled tidily, but picked up just the one wicket apiece in seaming conditions.

Player of the Week
Mentions to Jacques Rudolph, who’s 198 was made in tricky conditions and Vikram Solanki’s who’s 206 wasn’t, but you still have to get the runs. However, the outstanding performance was at Taunton, a pitch normally associated with batting feats. Player of the Week for his first innings 6 for 31 is England new boy, Graham Onions

Telegraph Fantasy Cricket 2009

2009-05-05T22:17:00.001+01:00

It's that time again!

The Third Umpire Telegraph Fantasy Cricket League is now set up and available to join for those playing the game!

Details:

Third Umpire
8000965

Good luck to all (anyone can enter)!

A new era

2009-04-29T22:10:00.007+01:00

Anyone doubting whether Andy Flower really would provide a fresh start need only look at his first Test squad.

It is a squad which has scant regard for reputations and says form is everything. Michael Vaughan, Ian Bell and Steve Harmison will not be done any harm playing more county cricket to prove they deserve to play in the Ashes.

Of all those omitted, the one for whom prospects look bleakest is surely Owais Shah. Given his long-awaited chance in the West Indies on some of the most batsmen-friendly pitches you're ever likely to find, he was undone by a penchant for suicidal runs and his own cramp. The selectors seem to have decided he is neither fit enough nor calm enough for the demands of Test cricket. It is a hsrah call, certainly: he is a man who should have been given his chance much, much earlier so to jettison him after three bad Tests is ruthless. Ultimately, he was probably unfortunate that it was the number three vacancy that he was given his opporunity in; Shah's brand of wristiness and quality against spin is such that he could have become a fixture at five, say.

So Ravi Bopara will have the opporunity to solve England's perennial troubles at number three. He is a man high on confidence, having scored a century in his only Test of the winter and, in stark contrast to the other Englishmen (bar Dimitri Mascarenhas) has made a positive impression in the IPL. Has he got the technique and experience to bat at three, however? Bopara has been nothing more than mediocre during his spell as an opener for England in ODIs. It is asking a lot of him to score centuries at three in the Ashes - the feeling persists that Andy Flower could do a lot worse than set Kevin Pietersen the new challenge of leading the way from number three.

Graham Onions and Tim Bresnan have both been on the periphery of the England set-up for a few years and, given their excellent starts to the season, it makes sense to give them an opportunity. The new England have said a lot by who they have selected; they have probably said even more by who they have left out.

Championship Review - Week 2

2009-04-27T18:26:00.003+01:00

A full round of matches with little interference from the weather and wicketkeepers go run crazy.

Division 1
Starting with my two tips for relegation as Lancashire hosted Sussex. The visitors were soon struggling, despite 90 for Ed Joyce as James Anderson took 6 wickets to restrict them to 289. Lancs then recovered somewhat from a poor start to their innings, with Mark Chilton, now in the middle order, getting 89, to reach 299; Luke Wright taking five wickets. Anderson and Gary Keedy then took five wickets a piece as Sussex crumbled to 167, leaving Lancs requiring 158 to win, which they made for the loss of two wickets, Ashwell Prince contributing an unbeaten 91. A winning start for new Lancs coach Peter Moores against his old club.

At Trent Bridge, Nottinghamshire batted first against Worcestershire, racking up 500, with Chris Read making a ton and Samit Patel and Adam Voges both getting into the 90s. Worcester missed avoiding the follow on by 2 runs as they made 354. Steve Davies matched Read’s hundred, but Stuart Broad’s five wickets did the damage. Second time round Worcester weren’t as successful, making just 146 to lose by an innings and 6 runs.

At the Riverside, Durham began the defence of their title against Yorkshire and were soon in trouble at 129 for 5, until Ian Blackwell and Phil Mustard both scored 90s to get the home side to 362. Yorkshire’s innings went to other way, collapsing from 247 for 4 to 272 all out with Steve Harmison taking four wickets. A century from Mike DiVenuto then helped to extend Durham’s lead to 393 as they declared on 303 for 5. The early loss of Jacques Rudolph meant that chasing the target was never a viable option and Yorkshire batted out for the draw, finishing on 193 for 7, Graham Onions taking five of the wickets.

Finally, Hampshire visited Warwickshire and were indebted to an unbeaten ton from Nic Pothas as they reached 379. At 120 for 4, the Bears were struggling. However, a stand of 335 between Jim Troughton (223) and Tim Ambrose (153), with Rikki Clarke then scoring a rapid 112 took Warwicks to 630 for 8. However, they were then not able to bowl Hants out for a second time, as the visitors finished on 301 for 6, Pothas making an unbeaten 65.

Division 2
Northamptonshire made 355 as they visited Kent, with Nicky Boje falling two runs short of his ton. Kent’s reply of 417 was based around tons for Geraint Jones and Martin van Jaarsveld. Steven Peters then made a ton for Northants as they reached 348 for 7 as the game petered out into a draw.

Ryan ten Doeschate took five wickets as Essex restricted Gloucestershire to 155. However, Essex were only good for a small first innings lead as they were bowled out for 177. Gloucester then did worse second time round, making 119, leaving Essex the task of scoring 99 to win, which they did for the loss of just three wickets.

Graham Wagg took six wickets as Surrey were skittled for just 131 away to Derbyshire. Pedro Collins then took 5-fer as Derby made 274 in reply, Greg Smith making an unbeaten 94. Scott Newman’s ton led Surrey to a more substantial total second time round, making 360 and leaving Derby needing 218 to win. They reached this for the loss of five wickets and are the early pacesetters in Division 2.

Finally this week to Lords where Marks Cosgrove and Wallace both hit tons as Glamorgan made 505. Australian opener Philip Hughes then hit a ton for Middlesex as the home side declared on 414 for 8. Jamie Dalrymple then hit an unbeaten 112 on his old home ground as Glamorgan declared on 278 for 8. However, despite an early wobble, the pitch was too good to force a result and Middlesex finished on 94 for 3 and the game was drawn

England Player Watch
From all accounts Michael Vaughan got a rough decision to end on 24 in his first innings and made a defensive 20 as Yorkshire batted out for a draw. Ian Bell’s stellar start to the season hit a stumble as he made 29. Rob Key made 2 for Kent.

On the wicketkeeping front there were tons for Steven Davies, Chris Read, Tim Ambrose, Geraint Jones, Mark Wallace and Nic Pothas, while Phil Mustard made 95. Matt Prior made just 4 in two innings but remains the man in possession. . That was four more than James Foster managed, who remains the man most likely to challenge Prior for the keeping spot.

Eleven wickets for James Anderson as Lancs beat Sussex, for whom Luke Wright took a 5-fer. Saj Mahmood went wicketless, though. Stuart Broad also took a 5-fer and seven wickets in the match to go with a quick-fire 60 while batting. Graeme Swann also picked up five wickets in the match. Steve Harmison took five of the Yorkshire wickets to fall, including that of Michael Vaughan (possibly fortuitously). His Durham colleague Graham Onions took a 5-fer as they pressed for victory, while Matthew Hoggard picked up six wickets, Adil Rashid four and Tim Bresnan 3 to go with his 60 runs in the match. Monty Panesar picked up a couple of wickets against Kent.

Player of the Week
Last week this was straight forward. It’s not this week. The award almost went to wicketkeepers in general, who seemed to dominate the scoring this week. Jim Troughton also deserves a mention for his double century as does Stuart Broad for his all round performance. However, this week’s Player of the Week is Broad’s new ball partner for England, with eleven wickets as Lancs beat Sussex, James Anderson

Rain Falls on the Pitch

2009-04-25T22:52:00.000+01:00

The second IPL tournament has begin in South Africa amid much fanfare but thus far the cricket hasn’t delivered. A major issue has been the weather. Many of the matches have been affected by weather which has contributed to a stop-start feel. Much of the impact of the IPL and its attractiveness is going to be reduced if rain continues to interfere to the degree which it has to date.

Each side plays 14 games so it is still early days. It appears as though some teams are suffering from the lack of key personnel. Last year the Kings XI Punjab made it all the way to the semi-finals largely on the bat of Shaun Marsh. Currently Marsh is with the Australian team and the Kings have dropped their first two games.

On the other hand, the Mumbai Indians have started brightly with win in their opening two matches.

Matthew Hayden is playing for Chennai and has also started well. He has scored 109 runs in his first two innings. Will the Australians regret turning their back on him when it comes to the Ashes 2009. When it comes to Ashes cricket you need big-time performers and there is no bigger performer than Hayden.

The South African conditions don’t appear to be conducive to batting and the scores are lower than what was witnessed last year in India. There are significantly less boundaries and sixes being scored. This is a good thing for bowlers who have been rendered to be nothing more than bowling machines in the Twenty20 game. Then again it could be that bowlers have adapted and worked out how to bowl more tightly in Twenty20 cricket. Captains have worked out better field settings for their bowlers and this is making it a far more even contest between bat and ball.

Spin has been doing well with Daniel Vettori and Muttiah Muralitharan winning man of the match award for outstanding bowling performances.

As was the case last year, it will be interesting to see how the teams fare as players exit and enter the tournament due to their international commitments happening or coming to an end.

David Wiseman is a sports journalist, who writes about cricket and tennis for Betfair Australia. He is particularly looking forward to the Ashes, and is keeping himself occupied with horse racing form until it begins.

2009 County preview - Essex

2009-04-22T10:22:00.001+01:00

Essex have gained a reputation as the country’s One Day specialists. This is due as much to their under-achievement in the County Championship as their expertise in coloured clothing, and one suspects the New Writtle Street hierarchy would like to see promotion to Division one just as much as they would more limited overs silverware.

The 2008 Friends Provident and Pro 40 Division Two winners, who also reached the Twenty20 Cup semi finals, are adopting well-used tactics in their bid to return to the top flight for the first time since 2003.

Essex like to blend experienced batsmen (Jason Gallian and Matt Walker) with youth (Varun Chopra, Jaik Mickleburgh and Tom Westley) and this could finally be the year that this formula pays dividends, as Chopra will finally make his breakthrough this season. Skipper Mark Pettini, keeper James Foster and talisman Ryan ten Doeschate can be relied upon for middle order runs.

The bowling department lacks penetration in four day cricket and doubts remain as to whether there is enough support for the miserly David Masters and Danish Kaneria, who is perhaps the most dangerous bowler in the second tier. His prospective availability for the whole campaign could be crucial.

Pacemen Maurice Chambers and Mervyn Westfield have been on the scene for a while and need to step-up their progression this term.

The Chelmsford outfit, again bolstered by the presence of experienced specialist Grant Flower, will surely again be in the shake-up for limited overs honours, although Ravi Bopara, Graham Napier and perhaps Foster could, like Alastair Cook, be absent for long periods due to IPL and England commitments.

Cricket Predictions:

County Championship Div Two: 3rd
Friends Provident Trophy: Semi finalists
Pro 40 Div One: Winners
Twenty20 Cup: Quarter finalists

Championship Review - Week 1

2009-04-20T13:08:00.002+01:00

Here we go again then. The Predictions have been made and even though there’s barely a dent in the Easter Egg pile, the County season is off and running again. All the usual features, including the weather making a mess of everything.

Division 1
Starting at the Rose Bowl where Hampshire entertained newly promoted Worcestershire, who surprisingly decided to bat first. This back fired as they made just 132 in damp conditions, with new boy Dominic Cork taking 4 wickets. Hants needed 66 from Liam Dawson to establish a first innings lead, totalling 216. Worcester managed 189 second time round, Vikram Solanki top scoring with 73. This left Hants needing 107 to win, which they managed for the loss of 3 wickets to put them top of the table.

The other promoted team, Warwickshire, batted first on a typical Taunton wicket, making 500, with Ian Bell getting the first Championship century of the season. This was then dwarfed by Somerset making 672 for 4 declared, with James Hildreth scoring an unbeaten 303, Craig Kieswetter making an unbeaten 150 as the pair made an unbroken stand of 218. Warwicks reached safety with 108 for 1 as the game drew to a close. In a microcosm, this could be the problem this season for both teams as the batting so dominates the bowling.

Division 2
My tips for promotion, Essex, put Derbyshire into bat at Chelmsford and restricted the visitors to 329, with only the promising Dan Redfern making fifty. However, this was enough for a comfortable first innings lead as Essex managed just 194, Ian Hunter taking a 5-fer. Derby then declared on 179 for 6 as they tried to force a result despite the damp weather. However, Essex batted the game out making 120 for 3.

Leicestershire also regretted their decision to put the opposition in as Northamptonshire made 387, with Andrew Hall making an unbeaten 124. Leicester’s 184 left them needing to follow-on and at 104 for 4, they were struggling. However, Boata Dippenaar and Paul Nixon saw Leicester to safety in another rain affected match.

Rain was also a problem at the Oval where Gloucestershire’s 333 was a disappointment, given that they were 247 for 2 at one stage. However, it was plenty for a first innings lead as Surrey made just 160. Following on, the home team were 120 for 2 as the game finished, with nearly two days lost to bad weather.

England Player Watch
A section based on who I think is or should be in contention for England. If you think I’ve missed someone, let me know!

Ian Bell was sent back to county cricket to make runs and although it was at Taunton, his 173 will keep him at the forefront of the number 3 debate. James Hildreth may also have played himself into England Lions contention. James Foster top scored for Essex with 40, as well as taking 8 catches in the match to apply pressure to Matt Prior.

Kabir Ali is looking to restart his international career but was expensive in the low scoring game with Hants, despite his three wickets. Chris Tremlett also took three wickets, but Dom Cork took the headlines on the bowling front for Hants. Monty Panesar bowled tidily but was wicketless in seamer friendly conditions.

Player of the Week
Not many games this week, and one outstanding candidate. For an unbeaten triple century, the first Player of the Week is James Hildreth.

2009 Season Preview: Middlesex

2009-04-18T12:38:00.005+01:00

by Benjamin Fyffe

2008 in a nutshell
A solid if not spectacular season in the Championship for Middlesex, with the county finishing third in the second division, just outside the two promotion spots. One day cricket went less well as the county was relegated from division one of the Pro40, not that anyone seems to really care about that anymore. The really fantastic thing about last season for Middlesex was indeed their triumph in the Twenty20 cup and, despite the Stanford Super Series battering that followed, it certainly gave the players of the county a considerable financial boost.

2008 top performers
Eoin Morgan performed magnificently with the bat last season to finish with a first class average of over 50, higher than team mate Owais Shah. Tim Murtagh was also outstanding throughout the summer of 2008, finishing with 104 wickets in all competitions, why did Surrey let him go?

2009 prospects
As ever Middlesex are difficult to judge but promotion in both the Championship and Pro40 is not journeying too far into the realms of fantasy. A one day trophy would also be nice, possibly even holding onto their Twenty20 crown. The real worry is that the squad lacks experience and, with Owais Shah likely to be away on England duty for at least the first part of the summer, the batting line-up looks very fresh faced. The club will also be damaged by the losses of Ed Joyce and Ed Smith over the winter. Captain Smith retired due to injury and will be sorely missed, as his captaincy nous is severely underrated, while Joyce decided to move to the South Coast so that he could commute in the opposite direction to everybody else in the mornings. Young Australian starlet will need to provide an energy boost at the start of the season until Murali Kartik can return from the IPL.

Strongest XI

Championship
PJ Hughes (DM Housego)
BA Godleman (AJ Strauss)
EJG Morgan
NJ Dexter (NRD Compton)
DJ Malan (OA Shah)
BJM Scott+ (DC Nash+)
SD Udal*
TJ Murtagh (T Henderson)
M Kartik (GK Berg)
A Richardson (CEW Silverwood)
ST Finn (D Evans)

Limited Overs
PJ Hughes (BA Godleman)
NJ Dexter (AJ Strauss)
EJG Morgan (SD Robson)
DJ Malan (OA Shah)
GK Berg (NRD Compton)
T Henderson
BJM Scott+ (DC Nash+)
SD Udal*
TJ Murtagh (CEW Silverwood)
M Kartik
ST Finn (D Evans)

Openers
Philip Hughes will open the innings in both Championship and One Day cricket until his stint as overseas player is concluded. 20 year old Billy Godleman will be looking to forget his dip in form last season to lead from the top of the order throughout the season while Dan Housego is also likely to play a decent amount of cricket this season. Neil Dexter may step up to open in one day cricket. All this is under the assumption that England do not try and commit Ashes suicide and send Andrew Strauss back to his county side and appoint Stuart Broad as captain.

Middle Order
Owais Shah, providing he can get his first Test century against the West Indies next month, should be on England duty throughout the summer. Therefore Eoin Morgan will be relied on more than ever before in his fledgling career to lead the Middlesex middle order. He is certainly capable but experience could be his downfall. Support will come from Neil Dexter, Dawid Malan and Nick Compton, all of whom are closer to spring chickens than seasoned pros. All-rounder Gareth Berg should play the odd Championship game as well as the majority of limited overs games and Tyrone Henderson will undoubtedly be sent in high up the order in Twenty20 and Pro40 to try and bludgeon a few big hits.

Wicket Keeper
Ben Scott seems to have made this position his own now, but he still has competition from David Nash. Both are fine keepers and decent batsmen. Providing they're not both injured Middlesex have no real worries in this area of the team.

Fast Bowlers
Expect Tim Murtagh to lead the line again with support from Steven Finn, for whom this is a big season, and Danny Evans. Chris Silverwood and Alan Richardson are also still around to provide experienced fastish medium deliveries. Tyrone Henderson and Gareth Berg will also be helping out in the one day competitions.

Spinners
Murali Kartik is away in the IPL for the start of the season but when he returns he'll be hoping to spin Middlesex to victory as often as possible with the support of captain Shaun Udal, who won't be expecting an England recall. If Udal is injured before Murali's arrival this is a weak area of the squad with no real back-up.

Rising Star
Dawid Malan showed great promise last season, and is now in the England performance squad, and if he can progress this season he could end up being a key player for the county this summer.

Key Man
Eoin Morgan has to lead the batting well from the start this season, otherwise the quest for Championship promotion could be over come June.

Captain and Coach
Shaun Udal will draw on all his experience to try and galvanise the troops this season as well as trying to groom a potential successor for next season. Tony Radford is head coach and will be looking to boost his credentials and get the county back where they so strongly feel they belong, at the top. He will have support from Angus Fraser, who believes promotion is 'very realistic' for the county this season.

2009 County Preview: Yorkshire - A Good Year for the Roses?

2009-04-17T09:20:00.002+01:00

It has been an unusually quiet off-season at Headingley. If the off field stability transfers onto the pitch, it could be a season to remember.

2008 in a Nutshell

Yorkshire scored more batting points than anyone else, despite playing most of the season with only four specialist batsmen. However, an inability to take the first innings form into the second innings was Yorkshire’s basic problem. The season wasn’t helped by a never ending stream of injured pace bowlers or the weather which curtailed some promising situations while also partially negating the effect of Adil Rashid.

Top of the table at the 20:Twenty break, and still in with a shout of honours with three games to go, Yorkshire went into the last match in the relegation places, although a winning draw made sure of their continuing Division 1 status.

On the limited overs front, the 20:Twenty debacle was the lowlight of the season. Promotion to Division 1 of the Pro 40 was one of the highlights. Getting to the semi-final of the FP Trophy was a bonus and Essex were by far and away the better team on the day.

2009 Prospects

I hate myself for saying this, but I think Yorkshire are the team to beat in the Championship this season. The batting line up looks longer than last season, with Michael Vaughan having plenty to prove to the England selectors, while Andrew Gale and Adam Lyth will be looking to play themselves onto a tour next winter. Joe Sayers seems to have regained some form over the winter and will be challenging the other batsmen for a place. With Tim Bresnan likely to come in at 8, runs should not be a problem. The position of 4th seamer is up for grabs with Amjal Shahzad and Steve Patterson battling it out. David Wainwright will come into the team when spin becomes a weapon, and he scored a Championship century from number 10 last season.

Likely Championship team

Michael Vaughan
Andrew Gale
McGrath
Rudolph
Lyth
Brophy
Rashid
Bresnan
Naved
Hoggard
Shahzad/ Wainwright

The team looks to be on an upward curve with limited overs cricket too, although Division 1 of the Pro 40 will be much tougher than Division 2 last season. However, the knock out stages of the FP Trophy and the 20:Twenty should be the target.

Key Man

Probably the same as last year in that Adil Rashid is most likely to bowl teams out. He had a slow start to the season last year, but still ended up with 62 wickets. He will also need to improve with the bat as he averaged just 23, despite a century in the last match of the season. The emergence of Graeme Swann as an International spinner means that Rashid should not be required by England this summer. However, his time is coming and Yorkshire will be hoping for as much as possible from him.

Rising Star

I was tempted to go with last year’s choice again, as Adam Lyth made his breakthrough last season and aged just 21 has a bright future ahead of him. However, of those looking to make a breakthrough this season, my choice is Jonathan Bairstow. With Simon Guy recovering from brain surgery and Greg Wood being released, Bairstow (son of David) is the second choice wicketkeeper and a very talented batsman, winning the Wisden school cricketer of the year award last year. Expect to see him feature in some limited over cricket and if Gerard Brophy doesn’t recapture his form of a couple of years ago, this could be his year.

Coach and Captain

Antony McGrath officially takes the reins this season, although as Darren Gough only managed to play half of last season, the transformation has been gradual. Martyn Moxen is the reason that Mags stayed at Yorkshire and the two of them have a close bond.

2009 County Preview: Sussex

2009-04-15T10:19:00.004+01:00

By Benjamin Fyffe

2008 in a nutshell
The overbearing memory of the 2008 season for Sussex fans was that of Mushie once again, but this time it was the lack of Mushie rather than his wicket-taking exploits. Time finally caught up with the man as injury hit him and Sussex struggled in the Championship without his wickets. The Twenty20 and Friends Provident competitions were disastrous as the county finished bottom of their regional group in both. However they survived in the 4 day format and the fans had the pleasure of a somewhat surprising Pro40 league victory meaning that Sussex are still champions of a sort. The season ended with the news that Chris Adams would finally be hanging up his playing boots to take the coaching role offered to him by Surrey.

2008 top performers
Murray Goodwin deserves mention as per usual for his efforts with the bat while Jason Lewry chipped in with plenty of vital wickets to prove that he's still got it.

2009 prospects
There is certainly potential for Sussex to do extremely well this season in the Championship as they have a nicely balanced squad. Much relies on the support that run machine Murray Goodwin gets from new skipper Michael Yardy and new signing Ed Joyce. Ollie Rayner will be expected to step up to the plate as the county’s new first choice spinner while Corey Collymore will also be key if Sussex are to take twenty wickets every match this season. Perhaps the most interesting factor affecting Sussex in 2009 is how the club reacts to the departure of Chris Adams, so long their inspirational leader. On the one-day front, a defence of the Pro40 crown is certainly possible while challenges in the Friends Provident Trophy and Twenty20 Cup surely cannot fare any worse than they did last season.

Strongest XI

Championship
CD Nash
MH Yardy*
EC Joyce (CD Hopkinson)
MW Goodwin
MJ Prior+ (AJ Hodd+)
LJ Wright (DR Smith)
Y Arafat (D Lewis)
RSC Martin-Jenkins (CJ Liddle)
OP Rayner
CD Collymore (PSE Sandri)
J Lewry (RJ Kirtley)

Limited Overs
EC Joyce (CD Nash)
LJ Wright (CD Hopkinson)
MW Goodwin
MH Yardy*
MJ Prior+ (AJ Hodd+)
DR Smith (RJ Hamilton-Brown)
Y Arafat (D Lewis)
RSC Martin-Jenkins
OP Rayner
RJ Kirtley (J Lewry)
CD Collymore (PSE Sandri)

Openers
Chris Nash is a reliable opener who can be relied on to average in the thirties when it comes to Championship cricket. The arrival of Ed Joyce from Middlesex should result in Nash’s departure from the Limited Overs side however. Joyce may open with Luke Wright in Limited Overs cricket while skipper Michael Yardy will probably partner Nash in the Championship. Wicket-keeper Andrew Hodd also has experience of opening.

Middle Order
Murray Goodwin is the man who will look to hold the batting line-up together with support from new signing Ed Joyce in the four day game and Matt Prior, or Andrew Hodd when Prior is on England duty. Carl Hopkinson will probably see his involvement decrease with the arrival of Joyce but will be an able backup when required. All-rounders Luke Wright, Dwayne Smith and Rory Hamilton-Brown will also boost the middle order throughout the season.

Wicket-Keeper
Matt Prior will be on England duty most of the summer and therefore Andrew Hodd will be relied on throughout the season, he is probably a better gloveman than Prior and his batting is not too shabby either, whether opening or in the middle order. Young Ben Brown, an England under-19 international provides further back up.

Fast Bowlers
Experienced West Indian Corey Collymore will probably lead the line with the evergreen Jason Lewry as support. Yasir Arafat returns to Hove as overseas player and will be made full use of while his Aussie interim replacement Damien Lewis is also an experienced bowler. Robin Martin-Jenkins should be as reliable as ever while the main back up comes from James Kirtley and ‘Italian’ Pepler Sandri, who has been playing for Cape Cobras and the Sussex coaching team have high expectations for. Chris Liddle will also be called upon when needed. Luke Wright, Rory Hamilton-Brown and Dwayne Smith are all reasonable fast-medium bowling all rounders who will be used throughout to complement the main attack.

Spinners
A lot relies on Ollie Rayner fulfilling his potential and taking plenty of wickets this season for Sussex in the wake of Mushtaq Ahmed. If Rayner performs then Sussex will be fighting for the Championship this season. Will Beer provides the main back up in the spin bowling department with his leg breaks.

Rising Star
Ollie Rayner is the obvious candidate here, his recent call up to the England Performance Squad testifies this, although Rory Hamilton-Brown also deserves a mention as he could be a spectacular all-rounder if he fulfils his massive potential.

Key Man
Murray Goodwin has to score heavily this season as his influence may well dictate the rest of the batting line up.

Captain and Coach
Michael Yardy has been named captain for the season after Chris Adams’ departure and despite a lack of experience should be able to inspire his colleagues at the club, who have played with Yardy for long enough. Mark Robinson remains coach and deserves more credit than he often gets for his work at Hove, he will be hoping to oversee another super summer for Sussex.

Mystic Richard’s 2009 Predictions – Division 1

2009-04-14T15:23:00.002+01:00

Having scuppered Kent’s chances with the Division 2 predictions, here’s my look at Division 1. Just to get my excuses in early the last two years have been incredibly close, and I did get the relegated teams right last year. To be honest, this year looks to be even harder to call and I can’t see a team being cast adrift as Surrey and Worcester have in the past two seasons.

9 Sussex
The loss of Mushtaq will hit the 2007 champions harder than the loss of Chris Adams, despite the emergence of Ollie Raynor. Last season’s hero with the bat, Matt Prior, will be spending the summer with England and the team will be reliant on the evergreen Murray Goodwin and new boy Ed Joyce, looking to get back into England reckoning. They were close to going down last season and while Yasir Arafat will help the aging pace attack, they will struggle.

8 Lancashire
Probably the county that will suffer most to England call ups, with Andrew Flintoff and James Anderson away for most of the year. Add to that the loss of Dominic Cork and Stuart Law, then this is a rebuilding season during which they will do well to retain their first division status. Paul Horton will be key to run scoring, while captain Glen Chapple will need to take a lot of wickets, particularly if Saj Mahmood joins Flintoff and Anderson with England. This year’s first division looks too strong for those that are left.

7 Worcestershire
Only one player missing from last season’s promotion, but it will be strange sight to see a Hick-less Worcestershire team. Nonetheless, the batting looks to be the strong suit, with Stephen Moore and Steve Davies looking to bolster their international credentials. Kabir Ali is another looking to restart his International career and if Simon Jones stays fit (and as I write, he’s been ruled out of the start of the season), they have a decent pace attack with Imran Arif. With Gareth Batty and Ian Fisher providing slow bowling options, they have a much better chance of staying up than last time they were in Division 1.

6 Warwickshire
A clear out of the fringe players shouldn’t impact too much on the Bears, who should score plenty of runs, particularly with Ian Bell and Tim Ambrose likely to be in the fold for much of the season. Jeetan Patel could be an astute signing if it is a hot summer. However, the pace bowling seems to lack the cutting edge needed to challenge this season. Chris Woakes is clearly promising, but is also barely 20, while Neil Carter and Darren Maddy won’t find wickets as easy to come by in Division 1. They won’t lose many, but won’t win many either.

5 Somerset
With an Ashes series during the summer, it will be hard to watch Marcus Trescothick piling on the runs for Somerset. However, with Trescothick, Hildredth and Langer, runs will come a plenty even with Ian Blackwell decamping to Durham. Andrew Caddick will be hoping for a better season on the injury front, but age does like it is catching up on him. Charl Willougby will be the main threat with the ball again, but twenty wickets might be a struggle. Like Warwickshire, they may go through the season unbeaten, but won’t win enough to challenge for the title.

4 Hampshire
A first half of 2008 in turmoil following the departure of Shane Warne made them midseason favourites for relegation. However, a blistering second half to the season almost saw them take the pennant. Astute captaincy from Dimitri Mascarhenas along with runs from throughout the team and the discovery that Imran Tahir was indeed a match-winning bowler were the key to success. Like Yorkshire, they will do best in a dry summer and before Tahir’s injury, I’d have taken them to edge the title, despite losing Michael Brown. They’ll still be close, though. The top four this season is a real toss up.

3 Nottinghamshire
Although Stuart Broad won’t feature much, Ryan Sidebottom is likely to be back and along with Darren Pattinson, Charlie Schrek and Mark Footit, they have a pace attack to match anyone in the Division. Graeme Swann will be on England duty, but in Samit Patel and Jason Brown, there is plenty of cover there too. The signing of Ali Brown shows that runs are the key for Notts and this may be the difference between the title and 3rd.

2 Durham
After the celebrations last season, this time round it may be more of a struggle for the champions. Steve Harmison is less likely to feature as he continues his international comeback, although with the likes of Mark Davies, Graham Onions and Liam Plunkett, there is still plenty in the pace department. The recruitment of Ian Blackwell will provide a spin option as well as providing valuable middle order runs. Another big season for Will Smith may see them close to retaining their title.

1 Yorkshire
I don’t like this. However, a batting line up including Michael Vaughan with something to prove, Jacques Rudolph and new skipper Antony McGrath is going to score plenty of runs. The pace attack of Matthew Hoggard, Rana Naved and Tim Bresnan is a match for Durham and Notts and the spin options of Adil Rashid and David Wainwright means that Yorkshire have on paper the most balanced team in the country. Unfortunately, I’ve just ruined their chances, but I think the pennant could be flying over Headingley again come September.